𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 •°𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘴

[20]

'What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?' Hagrid said, looking concerned.

Hermione told him about the hate mail she had received that morning, and the envelope full of bubotuber pus.

#

The start of the summer term would normally have meant that Sara was training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season.

But this time, with Harry training hard to get out of the Third Task alive, she always helped him study or practice.

In the last week of May, Professor McGonagall held Harry back in Transfiguration.

'You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock. Potter,' she told him. "Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task. "

So at half past eight that night. Harry left Sara, Nico, Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor Tower and went downstairs.

All they were able to do was wait for Harry to turn up but eventually, Ron and Hermione had gone to bed, leaving Sara and Nico to finish their homework.

Sara raised a red eyebrow as she saw Nico yawing for the 100th time that night. 'Wouldn't you rather want to go to sleep, you look exhausted.'

'As you told me one time, I will finish homework before going to bed because I'm stubborn and I want to have it all finished even if I'm as sleepy as a cat,' he muttered, writing down another sentence for his Charms essay.

'I can't believe you remember those exact words I said them in—'

'—first year,' both of them finished Sara's sentence. The red haired girl blushed and pretended to look for something in her Transfiguration book as the black haired boy chuckled, not taking his eyes off her.

'I know you are staring at me,' Sara mumbled, not looking up from her work but smiling shyly.

'Of course, you know everything after all,' Nico chuckled.

'You've never stared at me like that.'

'How do you—?' he started.

'As you said, I know everything after all,' Sara interrupted him.

He ran a hand through his black hair, watched carefully by Sara.

'We never talked about what happened between us,' he mumbled. To his surprise, Sara's expression softened.

'Great Merlin I wasn't sure if I should bring it up, I didn't really know what those things meant.'

'What do you think those meant?' he asked carefully, knowing that it was a sensitive subject he just brought up.

'That you feel something for me,' Sara started, letting herself be more comfortable on the couch.

'Yes, you are right,' he said, his ears starting to turn red.

'And then, what was holding you back from telling me?'

'I didn't know how you would react; you really mean a lot to me and no one ever made me feel this way,' Nico muttered softly.

'What way?' Sara asked, feeling the warmth that was hugging her cheeks.

'Like I would go mad if I don't kiss you already.'

'Then for Merlin's sake, kiss me already!' Sara said loudly, to Nico's surprise who let his books fall on the floor and threw himself at Sara.

It was the most wonderful feeling in the world, Sara thought, as they were kissing each other hungrily.

#

The mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end of term.

Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius. It was a piece of parchment, folded over and bearing a muddy paw print on its front. Sara smiles softly at the at the card and continued the talk with her friends, the feeling of nervousness only growing in her stomach.

Except Harry, they all left for their final exam at History of Magic.

Sara and Nico walked alongside Hermione and Ron, to the Quiddich field that was now unrecognisable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.

Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear.

Sara saw Harry, Bill and Mrs. Weasley walk onto the field so she left Nico's side to run into her brother's hands.

"You better get out of there alive or I'm gonna kick your ass" she said, hugging him tight, almost starting to cry.

He hugged her back, burying his face in her beautiful redhair. "Don't you worry, Sara. I'm going to be back before you know it."

They split up and Sara nodded, an only tear falling down her freckled cheek and Harry caught it before it fall off.

They both smiled. "Good luck, warrior," Sara said softly before Mad Eyed Moody made her go back to the stands.

Sara walked to her seat, where Nico was waiting for her. He put an reassuring hand on her shoulder. 'He's going to be okay, he's a Potter after all.'

Sara smiled. They haven't told anyone about them yet.

Ludo Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points — Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place — Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

"So . . . on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three — two — one —"

Harry looked at his friends and sister one more time before entering the maze, giving Sara the 'I'm going to be ok' look and she slowly nodded.

Bagman gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───